MSP Quote of the Day about intellectualism and sex

An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex.
– Aldous Huxley

But what if, like me and my colleagues, one is intellectual about sex? In other words, what if the thing that is "as interesting" as having sex is studying sex, talking about sex and/or writing about sex? When I learned that the vagina sits at roughly the same angle in most pre-menopausal women, I was thrilled beyond belief (I so enjoy learning about vaginas). Then there was the time that I learned about the average duration of contractions during male and female orgasm… or the days I have spent reading studies about prolactin release at the time of orgasm (which is related to feelings of satiation and contentment after sex, it seems) or oxytocin (the so-called "pair bonding hormone" which, with its release, is supposed to help human animals, like other animals, bond/feel closer). And, years ago, when I first learned about masturbation exercises to help men to improve their ejaculatory control and last longer during sex? It was, like, whoa there, tiger.

These have all been such exciting times for me! So what does that make me, aside from a total sex nerd?

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Dr. Debby Herbenick is a sex researcher at Indiana University, sexual health educator at The Kinsey Institute, columnist, and author of five books about sex and love. Learn more about her work at www.sexualhealth.indiana.edu.

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